Cape Agulhas in Pictures

Yesterday I blogged a little about visiting “extreme” locations on the globe and about my visit to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of the African continent. Here are a few more pictures from my visit to Cape Agulhas. My fiance and I spent a long weekend in Agulhas in March 2009. We visited the lighthouse and went on a few beachside hikes. On this overcast weekend, the tip of Africa looked mysteriously beautiful and quiet, like a calm before a storm or an eye of a hurricane. Click on any of the pictures below to view larger.


Agulhas Lighthouse 1, South Africa, March 2009.


Agulhas Lighthouse 2, South Africa, March 2009.

View from Agulhas Lighthouse 1, South Africa, March 2009.


View from Agulhas Lighthouse 2, South Africa, March 2009.

Rocks at the tip of Africa, South Africa, March 2009.

Jackie and I on the Atlantic Ocean side, South Africa, March 2009.


Indian Side, Atlantic Side, South Africa, March 2009.


Jackie’s girlfriend, South Africa, March 2009.

Southernmost laundry in Africa, South Africa, March 2009.

Southernmost Cafe in Africa, South Africa, March 2009.

Road warning, South Africa, March 2009.

Turtle warning, South Africa, March 2009.

Agulhas Lighthouse from a distance 1, South Africa, March 2009.

Pretty orange biology thingy, South Africa, March 2009.

Agulhas Lighthouse from a distance 2, South Africa, March 2009.

Trying not to wander off the edge of the continent, South Africa, March 2009.

Town of Agulhas 1, South Africa, March 2009.

Town of Agulhas 2, South Africa, March 2009.

Below are some Google Earth snapshots to put the above pictures in perspective. The location of the Agulhas Lighthouse is marked with a red pushpin. Click on any of the maps below to view larger.

Wadi Rum in Pictures

Lunch in the shade of a rock arch, Jordan, August 2007.

The Middle East is near and dear to my heart. When I was fifteen, I lived with a Palestinian refugee family in Jordan for five months as an exchange student. The experience opened my eyes to the wider world and no doubt changed the course of my life. Ever since, I have been drawn to the Arabic language, the Middle East, and to deserts. I studied Arabic for four years back in undergrad, but I unfortunately have never had the opportunity to study Arabic abroad and truly gain fluency in the language. The Middle East is a tumultuous region, and the semester abroad programs I signed up for kept being canceled because of safety concerns. Also, I had to balance my Arabic studies with a heavy science courseload.

However, I had the good fortune to have several Arab friends in high school and college. I was also adopted by a wonderful Iranian family (who are Persians, not Arabs) which hired me as a part-time nanny for their three wonderful children. I am still very close with the Iranian family; just the other day, the oldest daughter– who is now in Middle School– called me up to ask me questions for a science report she was writing on Plate Tectonics. She told me yesterday that she received a perfect score on her report, and I couldn’t be prouder.

In graduate school, I have had the opportunity to carry out my thesis research in the deserts of northern Oman. I hope to always do some geology research– and perhaps even teach one day– in the Middle East. There is certainly some fantastic geology in the region.

The recent turmoil in Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries worries me, but I am hopeful for the region. The deaths of protesters and policemen sadden me greatly. I have great respect for all those on the street, fighting and marching and shouting for a better life. I hope there is soon a peaceful transition of government in the protesting countries, though I know the struggle will continue long after the streets are empty. In general, I think the biggest problem the Middle East must overcome is a very young population with few job opportunities. This is a problem that will take many years to work through. Again, I am hopeful.

In honor of all of those in the Middle East who are currently struggling in the midst of turmoil, here are a few peaceful pictures of the beautiful desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan. I took these photos when I briefly visited Wadi Rum in August 2007. Note that my blog header picture and my profile picture were both taken at Wadi Rum. Click on any of the photos below to view a larger version.


Wadi Rum Cliff 1, Jordan, August 2007.

Wadi Rum Panorama 1, Jordan, August 2007.

Wadi Rum Panorama 2, Jordan, August 2007.

Wadi Rum Panorama 3, Jordan, August 2007.

Wadi Rum Cliff 2, Jordan, August 2007.

Me with the 4×4, Jordan, August 2007.

Rock Arch 1, Jordan, August 2007.

Rock Arch 2, Jordan, August 2007.


Rock Arch 3, Jordan, August 2007.

Bedouin boy, Jordan, August 2007.

Bedouin boy 2, Jordan. August 2007.


Rock arch 4, Jordan, August 2007.

Petroglyphs 1, Jordan, August 2007.

Petroglyphs 2, Jordan, August 2007.

Petroglyphs 3, Jordan, August 2007.

Sandstone nodules 1, Jordan, August 2007.

Sandstone nodules 2, Jordan, August 2007.

Collecting twigs for the fire, Jordan, August 2007.

Afternoon shade, Jordan, August 2007.

Teatime fire, Jordan, August 2007.

Petra in Pictures

Petra is my favorite place in the whole world. When I was fifteen, I lived in Amman, Jordan for five months as part of a high school exchange program. I lived with a Palestinian refugee family and attended a school where I was the only foreigner. My five months in Jordan were eye-opening and full of wonder, but one experience stood high above all others: my first visit to Petra, the red-rose sandstone city.

Petra is an amazingly beautiful place. The towering, glittering sandstone cliffs are awe-inspiring, but what really takes your breath away is the widespread evidence of ancient civilization: facades carved into the sandstone cliffs, water-channels lining the walkways, and windswept remnants of sculpture everywhere.

I visited Petra twice more during my high school exchange. For years I longed to return to Jordan and especially to Petra. In 2007 I managed to return to Jordan for a week. I had been on a research cruise in the Indian Ocean, and the end port was Singapore. I booked my ticket home via Amman (for just a little extra), and my old high school connections lined up a place for me to stay for a week. I paid far too much money for a driver to take me down to Petra and Wadi Rum, but as a single female staying with a conservative muslim family, I felt obligated to pay for a proper driver/escort. However, I long to return (with a friend this time), stay in a backpacker lodge, and wander the desert, exploring Petra for days.

Below are some pictures I took during my 2007 visit to Petra. I hope you enjoy! I encourage all of you to visit Petra, though a part of me wishes Petra were still a lost (to Westerners, anyway) city. Petra is now weathering faster as a result of so much tourism. Hopefully, a balance can be struck between encouraging tourism (which helps Jordan’s economy immensely) and protecting these incredible ruins from the devastation of millions of foreign footprints.

Click on any of the images below for a larger version.